Article: Top 10 Korean Stars With Unusual Surnames

Some Korean surnames are so well-known that everyone recognizes them as Korean. They are such as the Parks, Lees, and Kims. Kim, Lee, and Park are by far the most prevalent surnames in South Korea. Many Korean fans are also aware of this. In reality, these three surnames account for slightly more than half of the population of South Korea - about 25 million individuals! These surnames are common among Korean celebrities, which are predictable considering their prevalence. There are a few Korean artists with considerably unusual last names. There are Korean surnames that are so uncommon in the industry that just a few celebrities have them. We have compiled a list of ten stars with unusual surnames. Some of these belonging to as few as 2,000 individuals or less!

1. Seventeen’s Seungkwan

Seungkwan from SEVENTEEN is a member of the Boo family. This last name, Boo, comes from Korean Island called Jeju Island and is distinctive. In Korea, there are around 10,000 people with the surname. 10,000 people might seem like a large amount. However, with a population of about 51 million people, this is a very tiny figure! Boo Seungkwan's mother also has a rare last name, "Jwa," which is only found on Jeju Island.

 

2. Ong Seong Wu

Ong Seong Wu, the former Wanna One member who became a renowned solo musician and actor, has an unusual last name that is also easy to remember. He is the first and only person with this last name in the Korean entertainment business. Ong Seong Wu often refers to himself as "Korea's first star with the surname Ong" due to his uncommon surname. With only about 1,000 persons with the surname Ong, it is unique.

 

3. Btob’s Sungjae

Yook Sungjae is Sungjae's full name. This last name originates in China. In 927, a man called Yook Bo from the Tang Empire of China arrived in Korea. He established himself in Korea, thereby commencing the Yook surname. Yook is a surname that only about 20,000 individuals in Korea have. It is not the rarest on this list, but it is still very unusual!

 

4. Bigbang’s Taeyang

Dong Young Bae is Taeyang's actual name. The BigBang member’s surname is Dong, which is more prevalent in North Korea than in South Korea. Dong is a rare surname in South Korea, with just about 6,000 people bearing the name. Six thousand people is a fairly tiny amount in a country with a population of 51 million people.

 

5. Jaehyun (golden Child)

Bong Jaehyun is Jaehyun's full name. In South Korea, the surname "Bong" is only given to about 10,000 individuals, making him a unique Jaehyun than some of the other Jaehyuns in the business! NCT's Jaehyun, whose real name is Jeong Yoonoh, has a surname shared by roughly 2.2 million individuals.

 

6. Baekhyun (exo)

Byun Baek-hyun, also known as Baekhyun, is a South Korean singer, composer, and actor, born on May 6, 1992. Byun is the surname of the Exo vocalist, Baekhyun. The surname "Byun" is the most prevalent on this list, with over 130,000 South Koreans bearing it, yet Baekhyun is the only idol!

 

7. Block B’s P.o

Pyo Jihoon is P.O's full legal name. Pyo, his surname, is also of Chinese origin. In the year 960, a man called Pyo Daebak immigrated to Korea, establishing the Pyo surname. Pyo is a relatively common surname in Korea, with over 28K people with the surname. This unusual and memorable last name gets shared by P.O and ex Nine Muses member Hyemi in the K-Pop industry.

 

8. Haein (laboum)

Yeom Haein is Haein's full name. Approximately 60,000 South Koreans have the surname "Yeom," and Haein is the only presently active idol with this surname. However, the Laboum member shares this surname with Yeom Jina, a former member of the K-Pop group 'Bob Girls', who disbanded in 2015.

 

9. Taecyeon

2PM member Taecyeon's last name is Ok. It has been a part of his identity for as long as he can remember. Most of his nicknames begin with the initial "Ok". Because the word "Ok" also means "jade," fans adore this last name. Ok Taecyeon has long been the fans' good luck symbol, as jade is widely considered a gemstone that brings prosperity. ‘

 

10. Eun Jiwon

Sechs Kies' Eun Jiwon is a first-generation K-Pop artist who just returned to the stage with a calm old-school hip hop single. Jiwon belongs to the Eun family. While the surname "Eun" was obscure, Eun Jiwon's debut with Sechs Kies in 1997 helped the country learn more about it. It has the same phonetic sound as the word Eun, which means silver, although there are no similarities between the two.

Let us know which of the surnames listed above piques your curiosity in the comments section.